


Pheromones

by AlyssAlenko



Series: A little bit of Shenko Paradise [21]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Blushing, Checking out, Coping, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Hope, Love, Pheromones, Reunion, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Soulmates, Sexual Tension, Soulmates, Stress Relief, Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, True Love, Trust, War, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, delaying the inevitable, dying, sex signals, the end of all things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 19:39:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10394583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyssAlenko/pseuds/AlyssAlenko
Summary: For the MEFFW Drabble Challenge, Prompt: A time when a crew mate being an alien became apparentThis one shot takes place after the Citadel Date when Shepard and Kaidan make up. Javik makes an offhand comment about the two of them being together, and Shepard is reminded that he sees and feels things differently than anyone one else--despite her efforts to be subtle and keep hers and Kaidan's relationship on the down-low...





	

There was a subtle, almost imperceptible change in the atmosphere as Kaidan, Wrex and Garrus walked past Javik and Shepard where they stood talking. She was very much listening to what Javik had to say; even as she followed Kaidan’s movements, her lower lip drawn under her teeth in silent appreciation, eyes roaming over his backside. Wrex and Garrus glanced at her grinning knowingly, and making her glance away hastily, their heightened sense of smell telling them all they needed to know about the nature of their relationship, even after all this time apart.

Alyss had been trying to delay the end by spending extra time in bed with Kaidan that morning and every morning since their date on the Presidium and their inevitable sexcapades that followed; she forced a smile, trying to hide the dismay as she realized how close to home the war was hitting, the weight of the world settling back on her shoulders—he knew her well enough to know it was fake. She’d been slightly distant lately…something was bothering her, something she’d been trying to cover up with lots of R & R; he wished she knew she didn’t have to carry this burden alone. Kaidan caught her eye and grinned, his happiness infectious. He’d made her promise that anytime she was on a mission without him that she’d be careful; not pull crazy stunts or take any unnecessary risks—she hoped that was a promise she’d be able to keep.

The two of them glanced away from each other, blushing furiously. No one knew why they tried to hide it; Javik had sensed the sexual tension between them since Kaidan had come on board—not to mention all the times they’d all seen him sneaking out of the lift when he thought no one was around, and the fact that Joker had caught him singing quietly to himself as he checked their ordinance after they’d slept together. It was about time they made it official again.

The knowing smirks they sent her way, looking between her and Kaidan with silent laughter, would be enough to make even the most hardened soldier lose their composure. Luckily, she’d had a lot of practice with hiding her emotions...succeeding about seventy percent of the time in keeping her feelings in check. The scent of her arousal was another matter entirely. The two of them were going to make lewd jokes the next time they saw her...maybe she’d run back to Hawaii with Kaidan, leave the war behind...

Javik rolled his eyes in complete and utter disgust. In his cycle, such a distraction would’ve lost them the war against the Reapers...granted they'd lost anyways; he was the last of the Protheans, he couldn’t forget that if he tried. If he couldn’t sense things differently than the other species aboard the ship he wouldn’t have noticed—but the pheromones and signals they threw out might as well have been a blaring alarm for as clearly as he could feel them.

“You and the human soldier are...joined?”

Javik blinked all four eyes at her. Alyss spit her drink out in surprise, her cheeks turning a darker pink; she’d forgotten about how the Prothean could see and feel things differently than other species. It shouldn’t have been blurted out like that, however, he lacked tact and was curious as to what she was fighting for—maybe she could help him find a reason to fight in the process. She hadn’t wanted to make it a big thing, Earth was burning and flaunting their relationship seemed like it would be in ill form, but no longer burying their feelings made it obvious to anyone who saw them near one another. She’d been trying to be subtle but had failed miserably.

“You could say that.”

“I’m not; your pheromones are.” Javik scoffed.

She ran a hand through her long black hair, absently—she had to have Kaidan’s familiar scent all over her, intermingling with her own. Anyone with heightened senses, like Garrus and Wrex could tell that the two of them had made up, and with enthusiasm. Liara had told her she glowed whenever Kaidan was in close proximity, so maybe she hadn’t been as stealthy about it as she’d once thought, but there was a war going on around them, and they needed to make the most of every moment they had. Plus, having something to come home to made her fight harder to strike the Reapers down—maybe he’d been too hard on her...and the rest of the humans.

“Is this why you wish to continue living? For their affection?”

“Without that...affection, all I have in my life is death—and that’s not enough.” She sighed.

She gave Javik a half grin, and turned to walk away—he let her go; he’d said his piece and wanted to get back to studying the Normandy; it was fairly obvious from her signals, that she would rather be in Kaidan’s embrace. At least she had something like that...being the last of a species brought out the worst in him, stalking into the elevator to be alone. How he hadn’t had enough of that to last a lifetime was beyond Shepard’s comprehension.

At least he finally seemed to be opening up, and considering what to do if they all survived; it was a start.

Javik nodded slowly, four eyes blinking—he didn’t understand everything...like her temperature going up several degrees around the human soldier, her heartbeat getting faster near him, but maybe having something to fight for was why the humans had been so successful this cycle. They allowed themselves distractions from the big picture, and tried their hardest to keep their loved ones alive so they didn’t have to live without them. That single minded devotion to the human soldier, may have been why Shepard was a credit to her species. Or maybe she was just an exceptional primitive.

Not that he’d say that out loud…


End file.
